DENVER, CO – What are metro Denver’s most-stolen cars? It turns out, car thieves in Denver don’t go for the shiny new models. Older vehicles built between 1995-2010 those most-often stolen in Denver. That could be because anti-theft devices are now standard in newer cars.

Denver police have noted an almost 10 percent increase in reported car thefts so far in 2019 with 2,518 incidents reported compared to 2,296 reports in 2018, they said in a statement Thursday.

A pilot program will install electronic immobilization devices in select cars in Denver that are among the most targeted for auto theft. Already 80 of the “hottest” cars in southwest Denver have been fitted with the device, which is an electronic key fob used along with a traditional car key.

The DPD announced that they have an additional 40 of the devices and installations to give away (while supplies last) for owners of the area’s 10 hottest cars stolen in Denver between April 1-June 30, 2019.

Here are the cars most-stolen:

• Honda Civic 1995-2000 (191 stolen)
• Honda Accord 1992-1997 (134 stolen)
• Ford Pickup F-250 1999-2006 (98 stolen)
• Chevy Silverado Pickup 2000-2006 (80 stolen)
• Ford Pickup F-350 1999-2006 (61 stolen)
• Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV 1995-2009 (56 stolen)
• Dodge Ram Pickup 2000-2008 (53 stolen)
• Ford F-150 Pickup 1996-2010 (49 stolen)
• GMC Sierra Pickup 2000-2004 (45 stolen)
• Toyota Camry 1995-2005 (43 stolen)

If you drive one of the vehicles above and would like a free device, contact District Four Community Resource Officer Rueban Garduño at rueban.garduno@denvergov.org or (720) 913-0276.

The immobilization devices are made available through a grant-funded “auto theft prevention partnership” of the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA), Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force (MATT), AAA Colorado, and the Denver Police Department (DPD), DPD said.

Pueblo Colorado had the highest percentage of car thefts in the state reported in 2017, and the third-highest rate in the country, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s “Hot Spot” list.

Here are the hottest car theft regions in Colorado:

National Rank		Colorado City	# reported vehicle thefts	2019 rate
3		Pueblo, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area	1,353	812.73
20		Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area	14,791	512.11
65		Colorado Springs, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area	2,410	332.93
178		Greeley, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area	582	191.05
199		Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area	266	175.44
201		Boulder, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area	565	175.19
265		Fort Collins, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area	459	133.44

Even if you don’t drive one of the cars above, you can still help prevent car thefts with the tips below (courtesy of the Denver Police Department).

Tips to Prevent Car Theft

• Always lock your car, roll up windows, and take your keys.
• Never leave belongings in a car. Anything is valuable to a criminal.
• Never leave a car running unattended, even for a short period. Criminals are looking for unattended cars to use for committing other crimes.
• Park in well-lit or busy areas, which makes it harder for bad guys to break in or steal your car.
• Use an alarm system or steering wheel-lock device so your car is less tempting to steal.
• Remove the garage door opener when parked near the house, so criminals can’t use it to open your garage and break into the house.